Fishing is often much better in the fall than in the summer, with less tourists and cooler weather. When you’re on a trip, safety should be a priority for your family. Keeping your kids safe can be a challenge if you don’t know where you should focus your efforts.
Tips for fishing trip safety for kids
Here are some fishing trip safety tips which you need to pay attention to when you have kids with you on a fishing trip.
Emphasize Water Safety
Being around water unsupervised can spell disaster for your kids. This is true if you’re on a boat or even if you’re just fishing next to a body of water. Having your kids wear lifejackets can save their lives. You also need to focus on teaching your kids the right ways to behave around water. Swimming lessons can be beneficial to give your kids basic understanding when it comes to water safety practices. Talk to your children about the importance of not running or leaning way over the side of the boat.
Focus on Air Quality
Air quality is often overlooked when you’re planning a fishing trip. What this refers to is the exhaust that’s released from boat engines. Selecting a boat with an engine that has lower emissions is not only good for the environment, but can improve the overall air quality that your kids are breathing. The whole point of going fishing is to be able to get back to nature and bond as a family. You should also be careful not to block vents, which can cause carbon monoxide to cycle back through the boat.
Practice Good Hygiene
It’s okay to let your kids get dirty and help with tasks during your fishing trip. Practicing good hand washing techniques will work to keep them safe. You don’t want to have to deal with illness after your trip. The key to preventing the spread of disease from the fish and the water itself is to practice good hygiene. Encourage your kids to wash up thoroughly after they’ve touched uncooked fish or played in the water. This will prevent the smells from the fishing trip from lingering on into the coming week.
Enforce Ergonomics
How your kids reel in their fish makes a difference. Focusing on ergonomics may not seem that important when you’re teaching your kids to fish, but it can make a huge difference. Start out with the right way to use their fishing rod and how to reel it in. You don’t want your kids to get injured on your trip. It will also help you to alleviate some of the aches and pains that come with age, so it will also help their health as they grow older.
If you set the expectations that you want to see on your trip, you’ll have less to worry about during it. Use these tips to help keep your children safe without having to spend the whole time micromanaging their behavior.
Author Bio: Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She recommends looking into water treatment systems for your home. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
